One Reason to Die, Three Reasons to Live
by Chaos formerly Rini
Summary: As Lily is about to perform a charm to make it so she was never born, James makes a deal: if he can find three good reasons for her to have been alive, she won't do it. R&R! *Finished unless requests and suggestions for sequel come*
1. One Reason to Die: Petunia

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One Reason to Die, Three Reasons to Live

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As Lily is about to perform a charm to make it so she was never born, James makes a deal: if he can find three good reasons for her to have been alive, she won't do it. 

This fic will be five chapters: the reason to die, and the three different reasons to live. Some of them will most likely be very short, but hopefully good! It's kinda It's a Wonderful Life-ish, but not really. The second chapter will be based on something that really did happen with me and one of my sister's friends… although it might not have gone as far if she didn't live.

I'll just write my story now…

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One Reason to Die: Petunia

The owls swooped into the Great Hall like every morning, bearing tidings to their owners. It was normal for everyone, except for the red head at the Gryffindor table.

It wasn't unusual for her to be getting letters, but this time as she read it, she turned chalk-white and ran from the table, trembling. Unfortunately, she hadn't left the letter at her place, so none of her friends had any idea what had made her so upset.

When she didn't show up for the first two lessons, they spread out to look. James took the library, Peter the Gryffindor Tower, Arabella, Sirius, Remus and Shandra spreading out over the rest of the castle.

All James found in the library was an open book on Lily's favorite table. Bending over to read, he muttered, "God, no."

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The Reversiosis Birthnius Charm

This charm is used to wipe out the entire existence of oneself. The person who casts this spell will never have been born, and all that the person has had influence over will change and go the way it would have gone had they not been involved.

To use this charm…

James didn't read any more. He was flying down the corridors, down the stair rail (it was faster to slide), and out the door onto the grounds.

"Lily!" he called as he pounded around the edge of the lake. He could see her sitting on a rock on the far side. "Lily, wait! Don't!"

She was distracted enough to glance up. That was all the time he needed.

"Don't cast that charm! Nothing could be worth it."

She gave a bitter laugh, and said, "Yes, there is something worth it."

"What?" he asked in a tone that meant, 'What is it that could be worth not being born?'

"It's my fault my parents are dead. They were killed by-by Voldemort, because he was trying to get at me. And Petunia knows it. She hates me, and magic, and will never forgive me now. If I were never born, they would still be alive."

"How can you know that that's true?" James asked in a soft voice. "Voldemort is a mad man. He could still end up having killed your parents- most likely would. He hates muggles, squibs, muggle born, muggle lovers. He hates anything to do with muggles. It won't be worth it to destroy yourself and your memory."

"Give me three good reasons why I should stay," Lily said flatly, "and then I'll think about it. If you can't come up with anything, then you were just wasting your time."

James thought long and hard. _Just three names, James, just three names! That's all you need…_ he came up with one… _Adora_. Then a second… _Kevin_. The third name… _I can't think of another one yet… but I will. I have to_.

Straightening himself up, James stared across the huge expanse of the lake, then up into the darkening sky.

"Talk quick. I want to do this before the rain comes," Lily said, snappishly.

"I'll tell you the three reasons why," James said, "And you have to promise me that you'll stop blaming yourself."

"Agreed," Lily said, knowing he could never come up with three things. What had she ever done that would make her a worthwhile person? Her existence wasn't necessary. The world could do without her.

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I know it's ridiculously short, but the next chapter is coming out soon soon soon! I just have to type it up.

R&R!


	2. First Reason to Live: Adora

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One Reason to Die, Three Reasons to Live

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As Lily is about to perform a charm to make it so she was never born, James makes a deal: if he can find three good reasons for her to have been alive, she won't do it.

Oopsies, last chapter I said it would be five chaps, it's only four. I had four reasons to live, but forgot one of them, so it's down to three.

This chapter is based on an experience I had with one of my sister's friends. I'll explain more at the bottom.

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First Reason to Live: Adora

"Adora," James said, bringing up the name of one of Petunia's friends.

Lily's eyes glazed over a bit as she remembered the occasion with the girl…

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

The car ride was very, very dull. Petunia, Mr. Evans, Mrs. Evans, Lily, and one of Petunia's friends, Adora, had been at Lily's grandparents' house. They (the grandparents) owned two houses, and hadn't been at the one they were visiting.

Petunia seemed pretty absorbed in reading a book, and Mrs. Evans was chatting with Mr. Evans, who was driving. Lily stared out the window, and then realized that Adora was doing precisely the same thing.

"I see an elephant," she said suddenly to the older girl.

She looked startled. "Where?"

"In that cloud, right there. And next to it, that's a boat!" Lily loved to play the cloud game, finding shapes in the seemingly formless blobs.

Catching on, Adora came to life. "That right there, is a little boy."

"And he's flying a kite, see!"

"And… a whale."

The rest of the long ride was spent playing this game, and laughing.

Petunia had liked Lily then, held nothing against her. She'd explained to her innocent little sister how Adora's parents were having problems, and Adora had been taking it very hard. She wasn't bored looking out the window, just thinking of their problems.

As Lily was beginning to feel sorry for interrupting the girl's thinking, Petunia went on. It turned out that the cloud game had helped Adora feel much, much better, and taken her mind off of her parents for a while.

"I can't even tell you how much it meant," she said to the tiny girl.

Lily couldn't explain how good she felt about making the girl feel better.

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"Well, what about Adora?" So far, it had only hurt her: a memory where Petunia liked her, and her parents were alive.

"That girl was near suicidal, Lily. You just playing that game helped her… stopped her from killing herself. If you were never born, you never could have helped her. She could be dead now, if it weren't for you," James said, sounding shocked that she thought so little of her own actions.

"Fine. That's one reason, but you still have two more to go. And they had better be good, James, or all this will have been a waste and a way to make me even more miserable." Lily certainly sounded imposing and threatening, so James decided to hurry on if he could.

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I did play the cloud game with one of my sister's friends, and made her feel better. I don't know if she would've gone suicidal if I hadn't, but I know it helped.

R&R! Next chapter as soon as I can make it, promise!


	3. Second Reason to Live: Kevin

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One Reason to Die, Three Reasons to Live

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As Lily is about to perform a charm to make it so she was never born, James makes a deal: if he can find three good reasons for her to have been alive, she won't do it.

Third chapter and no one has reviewed… ::sniffles:: If you're reading, could you pretty please review? Please?

This one kinda came from nowhere…

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Second Reason to Live: Kevin

"How about Kevin?"

"Kevin?" Lily repeated, going back to that day in third year…

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It was the winter holiday, and the first snow of the season had occurred overnight. The lake had also frozen over.

"Let's go ice skating!" Arabella Figg suggested energetically. Everyone had agreed whole-heartedly, and hurried outside to enjoy the sport.

The ones born to wizarding families had very little practice on ice skates. They wobbled around as they walked on the ice, attempting to keep their balance. They suffered many falls into the snow banks, to the great amusement of all the muggle borne.

Lily had taken skating lessons when she was younger, her pre-Hogwarts years, so she was pretty good. She saw most of her friends becoming involved in a snow ball war, all the muggle borne and most of the wizard borne.

Kevin and a girl- Susan, wasn't it?- were still struggling around on the ice. Susan was dangerously close to the snowball fight, and was drawn in when one of the pieces of flying snow hit her full in the face.

No one else noticed Kevin slide down, and not stop. He kept sliding, closer and closer to the middle of the lake. The ice was too weak there! It would never hold…

Lily began skating as fast as she could towards the boy. She fell down, once, and as she got up cursing, skated off once more. The ice was beginning to crack under him… she skidded to a halt just as the ice gave out and Kevin was plunged into the icy cold water.

She stretched out her arm, damning her shortness, and managed to grab his hand. She pulled, hard, but almost nothing happened. She kept on pulling, though, slowly inching the soaking Kevin out of the water. She got him far enough that some of the other muggle borne students were able to help move him back. They hadn't come closer for fear of the ice breaking under all of them.

Kevin would have died if Lily hadn't helped. He wasn't a strong swimmer, and certainly not in the heavy, winter clothes he had been wearing.

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Lily shivered in remembrance of that day. "So I saved Kevin. Big deal! Maybe he only went skating in the first place because I went. I almost didn't go, and he didn't want to. He only went because he didn't want to sit by himself."

"You know that isn't true, Lily. He was one of the ones that were most excited about ice skating, and you know it."

"Fine. You still have the last one, James. And I'd hurry before the storm breaks. I'm not going to hang about in the rain," Lily said threateningly.

James knew that he had to come up with something, but what? He sat quiet for a minute… then two… after about five minutes, he said, "Are you ready for the third?"

"I was the one telling you to hurry up, half-wit!" Lily snapped.

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Another short chapter, I know, but feedback with suggestions to make it longer would be nice! R&R! Please?


	4. Third Reason to Live: James

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One Reason to Die, Three Reasons to Live

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As Lily is about to perform a charm to make it so she was never born, James makes a deal: if he can find three good reasons for her to have been alive, she won't do it.

Last chapter of this… Feedback for improvements would be very, very nice!

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Kelzery- YAY! SOMEBODY REVIEWED! Um… maybe. Read this chapter. The fic is done, unless you want to make suggestions and requests?

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Third Reason to Live: James

"Me. It's not life or death, but at the same time, it is. Without you, I would have no life," James said, forcing Lily to strain to catch his words.

It was true.

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In her first year, Lily hadn't been over-popular, but she was still happy-go-lucky and loved to make friends. Especially with those who didn't seem to have any.

There was one boy in her year, in her house, who never talked with anyone. He worked on his own in classes, sat by himself in the common room and at meals. That made her go to him.

"Hello!" Lily said cheerfully to the boy.

The boy looked up blankly, and said, "Hello. Who are you?"

"I'm Lily Evans! What's your name?" She might've been sounding too cheerful, too happy. But he didn't seem to mind like her other friends did.

"My name is James Potter," he said.

"Hello James Potter. What are you doing over here?" she asked curiously.

"Building a card castle," he responded innocently.

"But not with muggle cards."

Darn. She was too smart. "No, I'm using the cards you play Exploding Snap with."

"That just makes it more fun!" Lily exclaimed. Lowering her voice, she added, "Did you ever notice how 'Snap' and 'Snape' are spelt almost the same way?" James looked at her blankly once more. Unfazed, she went on. "Let's play a game of Exploding Snape! I'm certain Sirius and Remus could help us with the supplies."

"No need," James said, suddenly. "So, how are we going to do this? Dad gave me a ton of prank stuff, and told me I was to use it with my friends… only problem is, I haven't got any."

He looked hopeful, and she said firmly, "Yes, you have! I'm your friend. And I'm sure that Sirius, Remus, Mundungus, Arabella…" Lily rattled off a very long list of names, concluding with, "would love to be your friends! You just have to put yourself out more. Come on, I'll introduce you to… everybody!"

Lily had helped James get his friends. She'd been his first friend. Without her, he would still be lonely.

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Lily couldn't find anything to argue about with this, so she said something very stupid. "And a jolly old friend I was, wasn't I? Landing you on Sirius and Remus and almost never talking to you again that year!"

James nearly exploded with anger. "You were the first friend I had in this school! If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have _been_ friends with Sirius and Remus. You didn't _land_ me on them! You spent nearly as much time with me as they did! Don't put yourself down, Lily. I love you too much for that."

Lily gaped at him, openmouthed. {A/N: Gaping is openmouthed, isn't it? But it sounds better that way…} "Y-you love me?"

"Beyond words," James said softly, drawing her into a hug. Lily dropped the paper with the charm on it. It landed on the rock's edge, and a light wind carried it out onto the lake.

She tipped her head up to look at him, eyes full of wonder, and he claimed her lips with his as the rain began to fall.

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I know, very cliché ending, but I like them! R&R! Think there should be a sequel? Let me know, please! Otherwise, this story is done. I've no other ideas for it.


	5. One Reason to Die: Me

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Satans Little Princess- thanks!

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Potterschik- thank you!

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Kaikoura- Floppyfish!

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Moony127- Squishsquids!

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*pRiNcEsS*- Um… about that sequel, look down below.

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Juliet- SqueegeeSpuds!

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Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww- SugarTurds!

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-Nagini-- Thanks… I kinda meant sequel/continuation, but it was too long :-D _someone_ gave me a vague idea… yay!

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Mystikalolo- Thanks!

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Aurora- I didn't say it was BAD…

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G.D.Jade- Thanks… um. I need help. Read below.

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Happy- thanks!

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Okay, people, most of you wanted a sequel, but the thing is, I'VE NO IDEA WHAT TO WRITE! So, if you could give me ideas, I'd be super grateful! In the meantime, you could read my other fics…

Oh! The quote thing!

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Reviewer's Quotes!

I've decided to do a little 'tasting' thing, where you all give me one of your fave quotes from any of my fics (and who said it or who it's about). I'd really appreciate it if you copied it out and left it in your review! I just figure that way, I could see what types of things you all like the best, and work them in a bit more. Thank ya'll greatly! 

Rini

So, if you could all help me with both those things… please? I only asked for requests and suggestions because I seriously had no idea what to write! I try not to do the 'five review for next chapter' thing, and that might've seemed a bit like that… but I just don't know what to write! WAH!

Please, suggestions? I'm majorly stuck.


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